Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also want to address Mr. Barrett's unsolicited correspondence. For one thing, I must say that I found it very helpful. It contains opinion, certainly, but there is no difficulty in discounting that. It also points to certain facts that I found to be very helpful. I read this in advance of yesterday's meeting in private session and gave my view of the issues arising from it.

As far as I am concerned, there is wilful delay on the part of An Garda Síochána. We are being drip fed information in response to very simple questions. The letter from Mr. Nugent to do with Mr. Culhane is a kind of catch-all to cover all the bases, having been dragged kicking and screaming to give some kind of a response. I recall him withdrawing comments under pressure, but, in the first instance, how does one withdraw a letter? Had Mr. Culhane written to Mr. Kelly and copied to us an apology, a seeking to withdraw, a regret and all the rest of it, that might be one thing, but this is in effect a third party, albeit the line manager, writing on behalf of someone-----